France Is One Of The Most Popular Destinations For Those Moving Abroad

France is only 21 miles away from the UK at the nearest point (Calais), but the way of life can be very different. It is a big country and in Calais has the same weather that we do in the Southeast of England, while the further south you go, the warmer it gets. On the Mediterranean coast it is very hot in the summer and warm in the winter, although the south of France does suffer from the mistral winds between winter and spring which can produce some cold days. 

 

In between Calais and Marseille and Saint-Tropez, there are vast and varied rural areas, busy cities, mountains, sleepy villages, and of course, the ever-present vineyards. So, there is a whole gamut of different areas to move to, depending what sort of a life you want to live. 

 

If you are retired and have a pension, then you can live out your days comfortably enough in France, wherever you choose to go. However, if you need to get a job it is best to get all this sorted out before you move. As we are no longer in the EU you will need a visa, and you will also need a work permit. The visa that you need will differ depending upon whether you have a job or are setting up as a self-employed individual. 

 

Either way, if you do not have a job or it is going to take some time to set up your business, you need to make certain that you have enough money to live on for six months, or even more. 

 

You also need to learn to speak French. Most of us learned a bit of French at school but being able to sing the words “sur le pont d’Avignon” is not enough. You have to be able to communicate with the French in their own language, and you most certainly need to be fluent if you want a job. 

 

If you are going to buy a home in the area that you have chosen, the best bet is to rent a property while you look for a home to buy. This is because the properties that are advertised specifically to foreigners are very often over-priced. The price can vary considerably depending upon the area, ranging from an average of €100,000 in Orne to €325,000 in Rouen. And if you move to Paris, you are looking at €10,500 m2. 

 

When you buy a property, it is sold “as is” so you need to get it thoroughly surveyed. If you want to make alterations, you will need a building permit and you will need to submit a whole raft of documents from a registered architect to the local town hall. 

 

At Movers International we can help you with removal to France, wherever you may be going. We also have a weekly service to France, so if you only have a small number of items they can go as a part load on one of our regular runs. We can move you to even the most difficult to get to villages in the mountains, but please advise us if the roads are narrow as we will have to use our smaller vans in the tight streets. 

 

Whatever you need for removal to France, whether it is just a single item, or even a complete business, we will get you where you are going without any fuss or hassle.